IMS Training Relaunches with Major Changes
By Ricky DiMartino

IMS Training Relaunches with Major Changes

By Ricky DiMartino

International Media Services has relaunched its training program. Newly appointed IMS Training Director Andreas Ernst has overseen the transformation. There are two significant changes. Firstly, the new training program is offered primarily online. In the past, IMS students were required to travel to Waxhaw, North Carolina, to receive training over a 15-week period. The new program is almost exclusively online. Currently, the only course that requires in-person attendance is the two-week Video Production course.  (The date for this class is quickly approaching; it is scheduled to run from November 29 to December 10, 2021. To register or request more information, click here.)

A screenshot of the inaugural Audio Production class while in their Zoom room, with the flags of the countries they serve.

Secondly, the new program is now modular. Gone are the days of carving out significant chunks of time to attend a comprehensive course that covers all facets of media. Students can now simply pick and choose which courses they want to take and when. Most courses are only one-week long. The longest is the Audio Production course, which is three weeks long.

Israel Tigistu demonstrates the makeshift sound booth she and her fellow student, Lombiso, put together. The SIL Ethiopia trainee said, "I have enjoyed the class so far, because I meet some new people and I learned a lot of things. Especially I didn't know before about Audacity software and the best quality of the audio recording. All knowledge they give to us is useful."

This inaugural online Audio Production course of six students and three instructors began on September 27. The students span the globe,  attending at the same time via Zoom, which makes for great interaction. There is a student from Malaysia, two from Ethiopia, one from South Sudan, one from Uganda, and yours truly from right here in Waxhaw. Material covered in the first two weeks included: the fundamentals of Audacity (a free recording and editing program), setting up a makeshift sound recording booth, conducting a dramatized Scripture recording, and learning how to facilitate a participatory radio drama. Click here for more details on the Audio Production course or for information on future classes."Learning and teaching online comes with a few challenges, but the wealth and diversity of experience of our students means we are all learning from each other, which makes the challenges seem insignificant and well worth the effort!" — Andreas Ernst, IMS Training DirectorBoth the aforementioned Video Production and Audio Production courses are part of the core curriculum. The other two courses that make up the core requirements are the Role of Media and Facilitating Media courses. These four modules are required for all new IMS staff. Beyond that, there are options for those desiring specialization in a given field. Those courses are App Building, Scripting & Dubbing Biblical Films, Using Social Media Effectively, and Participatory Radio Drama. The Scripting & Dubbing Biblical Films course is starting soon and will run from November 30 to December 13, 2021. It is offered entirely online. To see a complete overview of the courses as well as brief bios on each of the instructors, click the link to the Courses page.